MTSS: Learn from Multiple Domain Teachers and Become a Multi-domain Dialogue Expert

How to build a high-quality multi-domain dialogue system is a challenging work due to its complicated and entangled dialogue state space among each domain, which seriously limits the quality of dialogue policy, and further affects the generated response. In this paper, we propose a novel method to acquire a satisfying policy and subtly circumvent the knotty dialogue state representation problem in the multi-domain setting. Inspired by real school teaching scenarios, our method is composed of multiple domain-specific teachers and a universal student. Each individual teacher only focuses on one specific domain and learns its corresponding domain knowledge and dialogue policy based on a precisely extracted single domain dialogue state representation. Then, these domain-specific teachers impart their domain knowledge and policies to a universal student model and collectively make this student model a multi-domain dialogue expert. Experiment results show that our method reaches competitive results with SOTAs in both multi-domain and single domain setting.Comment: AAAI 2020, Spotlight Pape

TRH Analog, Taltirelin Protects Dopaminergic Neurons From Neurotoxicity of MPTP and Rotenone

Dopaminergic neurons loss is one of the main pathological characters of Parkinson’s disease (PD), while no suitable neuroprotective agents have been in clinical use. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its analogs protect neurons from ischemia and various cytotoxins, but whether the effect also applies in PD models remain unclear. Here, we showed that Taltirelin, a long-acting TRH analog, exhibited the neuroprotective effect in both cellular and animal models of PD. The in vitro study demonstrated that Taltirelin (5 μM) reduced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by MPP+ or rotenone, alleviated apoptosis and rescued the viability of SH-SY5Y cells and rat primary midbrain neurons. Interestingly, SH-SY5Y cells treated with Taltirelin also displayed lower level of p-tau (S396) and asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) cleavage products, tau N368 and α-synuclein N103 fragments, accompanied by a lower intracellular monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) activity. In the subacute MPTP-induced and chronic rotenone-induced PD mice models, we found Taltirelin (1 mg/kg) significantly improved the locomotor function and preserved dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). In accordance with the in vitro study, Taltirelin down-regulated the levels of p-tau (S396), p-α-synuclein (S129) tau N368 and α-synuclein N103 fragments in SN and striatum. Together, this study demonstrates that Taltirelin may exert neuroprotective effect via inhibiting MAO-B and reducing the oxidative stress and apoptosis, preventing AEP activation and its subsequent pathological cleavage of tau and α-synuclein, thus provides evidence for Taltirelin in protective treatment of PD

TRH Analog, Taltirelin Improves Motor Function of Hemi-PD Rats Without Inducing Dyskinesia via Sustained Dopamine Stimulating Effect

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and its analogs are able to stimulate the release of the endogenic dopamine (DA) in the central nervous system. However, this effect has not been tested in the Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is characterized by the DA deficiency due to the dopaminergic neurons loss in the substantia nigra. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effect of Taltirelin, a long-acting TRH analog on 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned hemi-Parkinsonian rat model. 1–10 mg/kg Taltirelin i.p. administration significantly improved the locomotor function and halted the electrophysiological abnormities of PD animals without inducing dyskinesia even with high-dose for 7 days treatment. Microdialysis showed that Taltirelin gently and persistently promoted DA release in the cortex and striatum, while L-DOPA induced a sharp rise of DA especially in the cortex. The DA-releasing effect of Taltirelin was alleviated by reserpine, vanoxerine (GBR12909) or AMPT, indicating a mechanism involving vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2), dopamine transporter (DAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The in vivo and in vitro experiments further supported that Taltirelin affected the regulation of TH expression in striatal neurons, which was mediated by p-ERK1/2. Together, this study demonstrated that Taltirelin improved motor function of hemi-PD rats without inducing dyskinesia, thus supporting a further exploration of Taltirelin for PD treatment

A Review of Energy Industry Chain and Energy Supply Chain

The reduction of carbon emissions from the energy industry chain and the coordinated development of the energy supply chain have attracted widespread attention. This paper conducts a systematic review of the existing literature on the energy industry chain and energy supply chain. Based on the analytical results, this paper finds that research gaps exist in the studies of energy consumption structure and resource consumption in energy industry chain. In addition, the studies of coordinated operation mechanisms, risk control and the impact of government policies on the energy supply chain still have some shortcomings. Furthermore, this paper shows that the exploitation and utilization of renewable energy and the sustainable development of the energy industry chain and supply chain have become the major focus of scholars and governments in recent years. Accordingly, this article finally presents the future research prospects and provides managerial insights for policy makers and enterprise managers to accelerate the development of renewable energy resources and to achieve green, low-carbon, coordinated and sustainable development

Impact of Digital Economy on Energy Supply Chain Efficiency: Evidence from Chinese Energy Enterprises

The global industrial chain and energy supply chain are being reconfigured at an accelerated pace, and the uncertainty of China’s energy supply security is growing significantly. Empowering energy supply chains through the digital economy (diec) has a positive effect on accelerating the transformation of China’s energy supply structure. This paper discusses the effect and mechanisms of the digital economy on energy supply chain efficiency (esce). Specifically, based on the panel data of 112 energy enterprises in China from 2011 to 2019, energy supply chain efficiency and digital economy at the enterprise level were evaluated through three-stage DEA and content analysis, respectively. A two-way fixed effects model and mediation effect mode were adopted to investigate the nexus of diec and esce. The results show that the digital economy improves energy supply chain efficiency, and the conclusion holds water even after a series of robustness tests and endogenous treatment. Meanwhile, its promotion effect is more significant among large enterprises, non-state enterprises and enterprises in high market-oriented regions. The main impact mechanisms are regional industrial agglomeration and technological innovation of enterprises. Based on the above conclusions, it is suggested to take advantage of the industrial aggregation effect and technological innovation effect of the digital economy to further improve the efficiency of the energy supply chain for the purpose of maintaining energy supply security

Impact of Digital Industrialization on the Energy Industry Supply Chain: Evidence from the Natural Gas Industry in China

The global economy is moving into a new era characterized by digital and green development. To examine the impact of digital industrialization development on the energy supply chain, in relation to the sustainable development of China’s energy security, we discuss the nonlinear impact and transmission mechanism of digital industrialization on the supply chain of the energy industry using a panel threshold regression model based on sample data on the development of the provincial natural gas industry in China from 2006 to 2020. We found that there are multiple threshold effects of digital industrialization level development on energy supply chain length, and the results are statistically significant, i.e., digital industrialization development positively contributes to natural gas supply chain length after digital industrialization is raised to or crosses the critical threshold. Meanwhile, the heterogeneity analysis results show that there are differences in the impact of digital industrialization on the energy supply chain from sub-sectors, regional development differences, and different development periods. Therefore, we provide some factual support and experience for achieving the construction goal of “Digital China” and accelerating the digital reform of the energy supply chain as well as transforming and upgrading the economic structure

Impact of Digital Industrialization on the Energy Industry Supply Chain: Evidence from the Natural Gas Industry in China

The global economy is moving into a new era characterized by digital and green development. To examine the impact of digital industrialization development on the energy supply chain, in relation to the sustainable development of China’s energy security, we discuss the nonlinear impact and transmission mechanism of digital industrialization on the supply chain of the energy industry using a panel threshold regression model based on sample data on the development of the provincial natural gas industry in China from 2006 to 2020. We found that there are multiple threshold effects of digital industrialization level development on energy supply chain length, and the results are statistically significant, i.e., digital industrialization development positively contributes to natural gas supply chain length after digital industrialization is raised to or crosses the critical threshold. Meanwhile, the heterogeneity analysis results show that there are differences in the impact of digital industrialization on the energy supply chain from sub-sectors, regional development differences, and different development periods. Therefore, we provide some factual support and experience for achieving the construction goal of “Digital China” and accelerating the digital reform of the energy supply chain as well as transforming and upgrading the economic structure

Comprehensive Evaluation of Raw Eating Quality in 81 Sweet Potato (<i>Ipomoea batatas</i> (L.) Lam) Varieties

The raw eating quality of sweet potato is complex. As consumers start paying more attention to the raw eating quality of tuberous roots in sweet potato, the evaluation of the raw eating quality of sweet potato is becoming an important issue. Therefore, we measured 16 quality indicators in 81 varieties of sweet potato. It was found that these 16 quality traits had different coefficients of variation (C.V.). Among them, the C.V. of fructose, glucose, and adhesiveness were the largest: 87.95%, 87.43% and 55.09%, respectively. The cluster analysis method was used to define six categories of the different tuberous roots of sweet potato. Group I, III, and IV had a stronger hardness and higher starch and cellulose content. Groups II, V, and VI were softer, with a high moisture and soluble sugar content. The principal component analysis method was used to comprehensively evaluate 16 quality indicators of 81 sweet potato varieties. It was found that Futian1, Taishu14, and Nanshu022 are good varieties in terms of raw eating quality. These varieties have low hardness, high adhesiveness in texture, high soluble sugar content, and low starch and cellulose. Future research should focus on improving the raw eating quality of sweet potato by reducing hardness, starch, and cellulose, while increasing adhesiveness, soluble sugar, and moisture content